Friday, March 26, 2010

The Rewriter

I think I'm finally ready to admit this—I'm a rewriter.

I've tried to deny it for a long time. "Oh, regular revisions will be enough," I told myself. "I won't have to redo more than half my book this time. I'm a better writer now. I won't have as many mistakes as I did before."

Wrong.

I really wish it wasn't the case, because rewriting takes a lot of work mentally and emotionally. But I am one of those writers who just can't get it right the first go around. Not even close to right. It doesn't matter if I have an outline or not—it just doesn't come together well enough to avoid major (as in 50% of the book or more) rewriting. I can't think of a single one of my projects that doesn't need some major overhaul.

Being a rewriter, I'm learning, comes with one major problem: You constantly think you suck.

It's hard not to! I mean, everything I ever write will basically have to be thrown out and done over. It's really easy to think that I'm hopelessly incapable of writing a decent story—even when I put months and months of work into it. And writing anything new becomes nearly impossible, since all I can think is how in a year I'll be REwriting it all. And if I really suck that bad, then why the heck am I doing this at all? Why shouldn't I just give up?

See what I mean? Being a rewriter can really wear down your confidence.

So you have to put your confidence in other things, I think. I may be a sucky writer. I might have to rewrite every project for the rest of my life. But I can edit. I might even be a pretty good reviser. I can get there eventually if I work my butt off.

And maybe being a rewriter is just another way of doing this whole writing gig, just like outliners and note-takers and pen/paper...ers. Maybe this is part of my process that I will never outgrow, part I need to accept and deal with.

I'm a rewriter. I can't quite say I'm proud of that yet, but acknowledgment is the first step, right?

Oh, me too. I just finished my MS two days ago, and after spending a whole day feverishly figuring out why 89% of everything I'd just finally finishing writing wasn't going to work and making giant changes to the plot and characters, I sat down and started a nice, fresh document.

I've learned that my thoughts don't really come into full fruition or completion unless I write them down (or say them out loud). Like you, I have to write the book before I know what I'm book writing.

I try to look at it as part of my process (sometimes I manage to convince myself)--free writing in order to explore my world and characters which allows me to understand them so well I can pull out the story and really tell the one I want.

I posted on this today, too. Not that I'm a rewriter- although I am- but that it gets a little depressing. Thanks for sharing! It makes me feel better to know I'm not the only one who thinks I suck. Wait, let me rewrite that. I'm not the only one who thinks, "I suck." ;)

So you're a super-fast drafter and a good rewriter. I rewrite everything. My drafts are fairly fast, really, only a few months, but Monarch took me 18 months to get it where it is. Why? Rewrites. Yep, that's where the real writing takes place for me.

I'm the opposite. It takes me forever to write a book because I write and rewrite as I go. I can't move forward until I feel like I've gotten what I've written right. So when I read about people like you who write a book super fast I think - I am so terrible at writing! It takes me forever! So I guess whatever side you're on, writing takes a lot of work!

I think you should look at this as a blessing. Rewriting gives you time to ponder, add detail, and come up with additions to where you are taking the reader. I prefer it myself... I feel so much better when I rewrite. It's like polishing a rare gem.

I thought everyone rewrote and that it was just part of the proces of writing. Oh my stars! So, there are people who never rewrite and their stuff is perfect? Very interesting and a bit freaky if you ask me.

Oh! Me too! I've rewritten first chapters over a dozen times. And gone over a MS at least 5 times before I think I'm close to having something readable by agents. With each rewrite, I find something overlooked. Ugh! It's a pain, but with each new revision comes...perfection, right? ;-)

Aww. I'm willing to bet a LOT of writers are rewriters, whether they admit it or not. Also, you're still a young writer, even if you've written a lot of mss. I think you WILL have to rewrite less as you continue in this (LIFELONG) career progression. I really do.

That said, even if you are rewriting as much at 115 as you are at 25, you are a REALLY GOOD (RE)WRITER. That's more than most people can say. So don't worry about sucking. You couldn't if you tried. :)

Everyone re-writes. When working on subsequent drafts the trick is to leave in the passion, the excitement, and the indescribable something that made you tell that particular story in the first place. Having faith in your story and your abilities is so, so difficult.

I dread the thought of all the rewriting my first novel requires. Reading through it, I see so many plot holes and inconsistencies that I start to wonder if it has any potential of being, as you said, "right." So much more goes into writing than just writing. And it's hard for non-writers to understand and/or appreciate that. (Sometimes it's hard for me to understand/appreciate that, too.)

I confess: I am a rewriter who suffers from doubts all the time. After reading this, I will embrace that this is my style of writing. And yes, I plot and plan and outline and do scene cards and everything--but I still end up cutting huge hunks of stuff and rewriting.

I'm beginning to realize I'm a rewriter too. I think that's why I've been sitting on my finished first draft for so long. I know it needs to be completely rewritten and it's been depressing me. Guess I need to just realize the fact (hey, look! I just did!) and pull it out again.

Argh, re-writing is rough and I can see why it can get you down. But don't be too hard on yourself! You're able to recognize that your writing can always be better. Alot of people get stuck on the first draft and can't expand. You're flexible. That's awesome!

Natalie Whipple

I am an author and card-carrying nerd. My favorite areas of the nerd realm include anime, Korean dramas, good cheese, and playing mmorpgs with my family. I take pride in writing the weirdest books I can think of, and my novels TRANSPARENT and BLINDSIDED, HOUSE OF IVY & SORROW, and RELAX, I'M A NINJA are just some of my wacky ideas.